Latest Cultivation Techniques and Methods Tutorial for Guan Fangfeng
Guan Fangfeng, also known as Pangfeng, is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Apiaceae family, with its dried root used as medicine. It is mainly produced in Heilongjiang, Liaoning and Jilin. Guan Fangfeng native to the three northeastern provinces has the best quality and is called Guan Fangfeng. Below let us look at the cultivation techniques of Guan Fangfeng!
Planting Preparation for Guan Fangfeng
1. Site selection: Guan Fangfeng does not have very strict requirements for soil, but sunny land with high, dry terrain should be chosen. Sandy loam that is loose, fertile, deep and well-drained is most suitable. Clay, waterlogged lowland, highly acidic or heavily saline-alkaline land is not suitable for planting.
2. Land preparation: Guan Fangfeng is a deep-rooted plant, and in the second year its roots can reach 50-70 cm in length. Therefore, in autumn the land should be deep-plowed to more than 40 cm, and in early spring it should be leveled and harrowed fine, with root stubble and debris picked out clean, creating good basic conditions for the growth of Guan Fangfeng.
3. Fertilization: To meet the nutritional needs of the growth and development of perennial Guan Fangfeng, sufficient base fertilizer must be applied, with 3000-4000 kg of high-quality farmyard manure per mu, plus 20-30 kg of superphosphate or 8-10 kg of diammonium phosphate. It is best to apply it to the soil surface before deep plowing in autumn, and then plow it into the plow layer. At the latest, it must be applied before land preparation and bed making. Fertilization should be uniform.
Planting Methods for Guan Fangfeng
Guan Fangfeng can be propagated either by direct seeding or by raising seedlings and transplanting. In production practice, it has been found that raising seedlings in the first year and transplanting in spring of the second year can save seeds, facilitate centralized management and also save land in many ways. Where conditions permit, root segment propagation can be used, making use of root segment sprouting and rhizomes. Cut root segments 5 cm long, open furrows in early spring, and plant the root segments. Use 35-40 kg of seed root segments per mu. After planting, cover with soil and water to preserve moisture.
1. Bed making: There are two types of bed seedling raising: open-field direct seeding seedling raising and protected plastic arched shed seedling raising, which can be chosen according to local conditions.
(1) Open-field direct seeding bed: The length and width of the bed surface are generally determined by terrain conditions, adapting to local conditions and taking ease of management as the principle. The bed should be level, with straight, firm ridges.
(2) Medium shed: bed width 2.4 m, bed length 15-20 m. Small shed: bed width 1.2 m, bed length 15-20 m. The spacing between beds is 40 cm, and all are made into walking furrows 10-15 cm lower than the ground level.
2. Suitable sowing time
(1) Seedling field: The time for early spring seedling raising using plastic arched sheds should be 7-10 days earlier than open-field direct seeding seedling raising, because covering the shed has a moisturizing and warming effect. Broadcasting is the main sowing method.
(2) Open-field direct seeding: This should be carried out in early spring when the temperature reaches above 15°C, in early to mid-April, and ridge (row) sowing is preferable.
3. Seed treatment and sowing
(1) Seed treatment: Soak carefully selected seeds in warm water 3-5 days before sowing. Soak in 35°C warm water for 24 hours, or in 40°C-50°C warm water for 8-12 hours, so that the seeds fully absorb water and germinate more easily. During soaking, stir while sprinkling the seeds, remove the shriveled seeds and impurities floating on the water surface, take out the plump seeds that sink to the bottom after soaking, let them dry slightly, and then sow.
(2) Broadcasting in seedling field: Prepare the bed surface well, spray it thoroughly with water, then broadcast the seeds by hand, using 2.5-3.0 kg of seed per mu. After broadcasting evenly, sieve on 2.0 cm of moist new soil with a bamboo sieve or iron sieve to preserve moisture, covering the seeds completely, then insert arches and fasten film.
(3) Row sowing in open field: Open-field flat-bed seedling raising uses row sowing, with furrows opened by hand with a hoe, row spacing 15-20 cm, furrow depth 2-3 cm (slightly shallower in loam, slightly deeper in sandy soil), sow the seeds evenly in the furrows with a dibbler, cover with 1-1.5 cm of soil, and when slightly dry, tread and press to preserve moisture.
(4) Direct seeding in production field: The sowing method is basically the same as open-field seedling raising, but the row spacing should be increased to 25-30 cm, and the seeding rate per mu reduced to 1.0-1.5 kg.
Field Management of Guan Fangfeng
1. Seedling stage management: For seedling raising in plastic film arched sheds, the period from sowing to emergence is the closed period. Check frequently and control the temperature inside the shed well; generally 20°C-25°C is the suitable temperature. If the weather is too hot and the temperature inside the shed is too high, add straw mats for shading to cool it down. When the medicinal seedlings on the bed surface turn green, adjust the temperature inside the shed by uncovering the film for ventilation. As the seedlings grow, gradually enlarge the ventilation holes for hardening off until the plastic film is completely removed. If weeds appear in the bed, remove them promptly.
(1) Drought resistance and moisture preservation, striving for full stands: For open-field seedling beds and direct-seeded production fields, management during the period from sowing to emergence is very important. During this period, all drought-resistant and moisture-preserving measures should be taken, using pressing, treading, raking, rolling and stone rolling according to local and timely conditions, to ensure sufficient soil moisture in the sowing layer, meet germination needs, and strictly prevent soil "drying out" and seeds "bud-drying", striving to achieve full and strong seedlings.
(2) Weeding and loosening soil, preventing weed overgrowth and promoting strength: Weeds growing in the field and on the bed surface will affect seedling growth, so they should be removed as soon as they appear to prevent weeds from overwhelming the seedlings. At the same time, carry out 2-3 rounds of intertillage and soil loosening to improve the environment for seedling root growth, promote deep rooting, and achieve the effect of strong seedlings.
(3) Thinning and final thinning, preventing pests and protecting seedlings: 15-20 days after emergence, when seedlings are about 3-5 cm tall, thin them out, break up "dead clumps", and prevent small seedlings from being overcrowded and growing thin and weak. When they have grown for about one month and reached more than 10 cm in height, carry out final thinning, with a seedling spacing of 2-3 cm in seedling fields and 8-10 cm in production fields, to prevent overcrowding and spindly growth. At the same time, during the seedling stage, underground pests (mole crickets, grubs, cutworms, wireworms) and seedling-stage pests (weevils, scarab beetles) occur one after another and cause damage, so field surveys and control work should be done well to ensure that Guan Fangfeng seedlings are not damaged. For control techniques, see the Glehnia littoralis section.
2. Growth period management: Because Guan Fangfeng has strong adaptability and strong cold and drought resistance, as long as a full stand is ensured, management during the growth period is relatively simple. To promote growth and development, some promotion and control measures can also be taken.
(1) Topdressing and watering: Under normal circumstances, artificially cultivated Guan Fangfeng in the first year rarely shows symptoms of fertilizer or water deficiency. Only when sown in sandy soil or encountering severe drought weather should appropriate topdressing and watering be done after final thinning. Apply 8-10 kg of urea and 3-5 kg of potassium sulfate per mu, and water promptly after topdressing, to meet the growth needs of Guan Fangfeng seedlings under the influence of poor soil and bad weather.
(2) Intertillage and weeding: During the growth period, some weeds still grow at different times and should be pulled out promptly in combination with intertillage and soil loosening.
(3) Flood drainage and waterlogging prevention: The vigorous growth period of Guan Fangfeng is in June, July and August, which coincides with the rainy season. Flooding and standing water in the field (bed) should be drained promptly, followed by intertillage, to maintain good permeability of the field surface soil, which is beneficial to root growth.
3. Overwintering period management: In the first year of Guan Fangfeng cultivation, it is vegetative growth, with aboveground plants in a rosette form and rarely bolting and flowering. If any are found, remove them promptly. When growth reaches early to mid-October, the aboveground leaves and stems begin to turn yellow and wither, entering the overwintering dormant period. Management during this period: First, water the freezing water well before overwintering, strictly preventing insufficient water caused by the dry northern climate. The freezing water should be applied at the end of October or in early November, and irrigation should be uniform. Second, prevent damage from grazing and trampling by livestock and poultry, and do a good job of field management and protection. Third, manage and protect the seedlings in seedling fields well, and complete all pre-transplant preparations for transplanting fields, such as land preparation, fertilization and water sources.
4. Green-up period management: After the Guan Fangfeng rhizome has gone through a long winter "dormancy" underground, in the following spring as the weather warms and temperatures rise, the plow layer gradually thaws, the rhizome begins to sprout new buds, entering the green-up period and beginning new life activities.
(1) Garden clearing: Before green-up, thoroughly clear the field manually, remove withered leaves and stems on the surface to outside the field and burn them, to reduce the occurrence and damage of diseases and pests.
(2) Topdressing and watering: Apply 1500-2000 kg of high-quality farmyard manure per mu, spread over the whole field, then water immediately, to promote green-up and achieve the goal of strong plants and strong roots.
(3) Seedling lifting and transplanting: In March to April of spring, before the seedlings "green up", in the prepared transplanting field, open furrows transversely at a row spacing of 15-18 cm for planting, with a furrow depth of 10-15 cm and a plant spacing of 8-10 cm. If the soil is compacted and dry, transplant with water setting, or use hole planting. Hole spacing 10-20 cm, with two plants per hole. When planting, plant straight and firmly, and let the root system spread out. After planting, cover with soil and press firmly, or after planting give a general watering to settle the roots and revive the seedlings, improving the transplanting survival rate.
5. Vigorous growth period management: The purpose of the production field is to increase root yield, so strengthening management is very important, and therefore the needs of Guan Fangfeng during the vigorous growth period for growing conditions must be met.
(1) Intertillage and soil loosening: From green-up to the vigorous growth period, Guan Fangfeng lasts more than two months. During this period, the production field still focuses on promoting root growth and development, with frequent intertillage and soil loosening in the field to improve the root growth environment and promote robust root growth.
(2) Weeding and preventing weed overgrowth: Pull out field weeds promptly to prevent weed overgrowth.
(3) Foliar topdressing: According to plant growth conditions, if nutrient deficiency is found, foliar topdressing can be carried out by spraying potassium dihydrogen phosphate, "Baoduoshou", root-promoting agents, etc., according to the instructions.
(4) Removing bolting stems to promote roots: Because in the second year more than 80% of Guan Fangfeng plants will bolt, flower and set seed, and after the aboveground plants flower, the underground roots begin to lignify, seriously affecting the quality of the medicinal root or causing it to lose medicinal value. Therefore, for plants more than two years old, except for seed fields, the flower stems must be removed early. Generally this needs to be done 2-3 times, removing them as soon as they appear, to avoid nutrient consumption by flowering and affecting root development.